I make what I call a "boot stake" which has a 4" square flat head as opposed to a 1/2 inch bar, such as a T-bar. It is much easier to shove in with your foot underwater. I have also used Iowa disposible stakes (or similar types), with a long driver. One trick I have used is by using a drowner and looping it back into the bank in a u shape. Never had an animal get back to the bank. They will all be out in the current, drown! This is something I came up with for rocky creeks, where you couldn't get a stake in, if you tried.

I got into that today. Lots of good locations but I couldnt get anything to hold. I have some disposable stakes i made outa metal conduit that are eight inchs long and they work great in those mucky bottoms but i left them at home. I even tried double stakes with 24" rebar and no way it was gonna hold a beaver. shane

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When you earnestly believe you can compensate for a lack of skill by doubling your efforts, there's no end to what you can't do.

The way i took it was both ends of the drowner cable was anchored to the same bank. It would hang in the middle of the cable cause it would have no tension past the middle to slide anymore. And use in current. My take anyway. ketchican, double stakes would not hold either. My creeks are dry with just a little water infront of dams. Mar up to your knees muddy. Only thing i could use today on that creek was log/drags for coon and mink, and driveing stakes thru old logs of dams to anchor snares. shane

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When you earnestly believe you can compensate for a lack of skill by doubling your efforts, there's no end to what you can't do.

You should be trapping about the same soil type as me (pure sand) I stake with a 48" t top rebar stake. You will lose a beaver every now and then but not very often. You should be able to push the stake in by hand without pounding.